Goldsmith explores Ark of Truth themes

The first SG-1 direct-to-DVD feature, Stargate: The Ark of Truth, was just released to stores this week. Recently, GateWorld gave Stargate composer Joel Goldsmith a call and asked him to go into detail about individual aspects of the score.

“What I did was we opened up with the original Stargate main theme and bridge,” Joel told GateWorld. “Instead of going to what was the Goa’uld theme we went to the Ori theme … I thought it transitioned very well from ‘old Stargate’ into ‘new Stargate.’

Ark of Truth has more musical tie-ins than you might expect. Goldsmith reveals that he referenced a great deal more than just the Ori theme. “I relied a lot on the Ori theme because The Ark of Truth is primarily about the Ori,” he said. “I made statements of the original Stargate [movie] themes, not too much oddly, in the film, but a few.

Among other themes used was Mitchell’s theme, first introduced as a brass solo at the very beginning of “Avalon, Part 1.” Joel also brought back what he referred to as “Sam’s theme.” And let’s not forget the Replicators!

“The Replicators were in there too. I had a chance to develop that as well, as the Replicator story is developed a little as well in the film. There’s a lot to learn in this film. A lot of Ori and a lot of Replicators!”

There is a difference musically between The Ark of Truth and the SG-1 TV series. Minus “Children of the Gods,” the entire musical tapestry of the show has been executed with computer rather than an orchestra. Many fans don’t seem to notice the difference, however. For the more astute listener, a feature-length production budget has now allowed themes, such as the Jaws-like Replicator movement, to come to life in Ark of Truth in a way that only a room of physical instruments can to make it pop.

“[Writer/Director] Robert Cooper was so cool musically about how he designed some scenes for music,” Goldsmith revealed. “We discussed it early on about how he was shooting something in a specific way to give me a chance to go ahead and develop something musically. There were a couple of scenes offhand that were like that that will be noticed.” Teal’c’s journey toward Celestis was such a theme.

Stick close to GateWorld for a release date to the The Ark of Truth soundtrack, which should be available for purchase very soon! The film is now available on DVD in North America, and arrives in the U.K. and Australia next month (story). Get your copy now at Amazon.com!